Small Touch
The main focus of this two hours performance workshop is money. Far-reaching changes have begun within culture in particular. We cannot fully assess the economic consequences. Rituals and experiences are thus committed more consciously and in a different way. A very important energy here is money. There is no culture without money. I announced in advance that the registered participants should take money with them in notes of 10, if possible between 50 and 80 francs. This led to the first arguments with people who reported that they had no money and those who asked what the money was used for. This was actually the beginning of the performance.
The dramaturgy of the performance leads through the personal relationship towards money of everyone present to the moment when each participant throws money into the till. There are three pots available that you can use: the artist, the organizer, the audience. The commitment must be made visible and argued verbally for everyone to hear. You are allowed to not throw any money in, to put everything in one pot or to distribute it. A total of about 800.- came together this night.
Now the participants can anonymously vote who in their opinion would have deserved the third pot, the one for the audience. In another round of exchanges those participants with the most votes can pitch what they actually need the money for. Then there is another round of voting, this time visible. The two participants with the most votes now compete against one another in order to win the money from the pot. Each one has to do a dance performance.
Finally, there is a blind final vote and the person with the most votes can take home the jackpot. Although all mechanisms of the selection process are transparent, the dynamics and logic of the behavior of the participants are unpredictable. Compassion wins votes, arrogance and intercession meet with rejection, and generous gestures are encouraged. All participants are emotionally very invested in the performance.